(Sorry if I'm a bit late...)
In chapter 22, JA writes, on Charlotte's engagement:
The younger girls formed hopes of coming out a year or two sooner than they might otherwise have done; and the boys were relieved from their apprehension of Charlotte's dying an old maid.
At first, I thought the emphasis on "coming out" was only in my version (Penguin Classics), as there was a note related to it, and it could be deemed an abstract concept for modern readers. But I noticed it is also in the Pemberley e-text.
So, why would JA put the emphasis on "coming out"? Usually I can more or less understand why she would put certain words in italic, but here, I'm just completely lost. Any thoughts?